It was getting closer and closer to flight day and as usual her feelings were bitter sweet. She stood in the corner room of the founder's house holding a load of vegetables in her arms. She had unconsciously gone into thought on account of well, too much thinking! Nobuhle came in to help and smiled at her overload taking some of the Tomatoes and Covo. They laughed as a few pieces escaped the pour from arms to apron. As they stepped through the front curtain and slipped on their sandals they talked back and forth mixing their languages. They stopped halfway to the kitchen, Nobuhle swung up little Kulufeyloe for a ride . . . "Jesca, when will you come back to Zim?"
Nobuhle looked concerned while Kulu was all sunshine on her back holding onto her shoulders. Jesca felt the pain as well but forced a smile. "It won't be very long. I just have to go back to raise awareness and get people's help for everyone here to keep getting food and school fees paid for." She understood. But that did not lighten the look on her face. Nobuhle grabbed Kulu's arm and let her down on the cement floor of the outdoor kitchen. She waddled with her towel wrap diaper and plunked down by her mother, one of the cooks. They went over to the log hole and pulled the wood up for new section. The old section was ashes on the floor soon to be swept away. The fire warmed the water slowly through the thick iron pot, giving them time to cut up the heap of vegetables it would take to fill the huge thing! They laughed and talked with the other ladies cooking as the sun set and the kids started pouring in the gates because school was over. Leaving their school books and changing out of there blue uniforms in their rooms they were soon going out for water from the well pumps and firewood to be ready for the breakfast cooks at 5AM the next day. Within an hour the pot for the sadza simmered and the cornmeal rolled in the boiling bubbles. Jesca and all the cooks cleaned up the cutting bowls and cornmeal bags. And thus began the line up of 87 kids from as young as 3 years old to 18 years old. Scoop by scoop the 30 gallon pot of sadza was served on worn plastic plates and the soupy vegetables were poured over for a salty addition. The sadza's bland flavor made for more to be desired. The vegetables were supposed to add an element of health but they they did not because the cooking they went through was focused solely on making it reach farther across many plates. As the last plates were filled and the bottom of the pots were scraped, all the kids sat around on boulders and some on the front steps of the dorms eating, talking and laughing. Some putting off homework at the tables in the church building as long as they could. Others scarfing down for the love of studies. With all the cooking done and kids fed Nobuhle and Jesca along with the two other ladies were just starting to tire but there were many dishes to be washed now and the morning bread loaves had to be started. "I'll go get the flour, yeast and beans". Nobuhle dashed off towards the founders house. Jesca went to wash dishes in the dim light from the church windows or what really were simply holes that needed windows. The two other ladies began to make beds of coals for the bread pans to be buried in. Three girls came in the gates, the last to top off the water barrels. Five gallon buckets atop their heads they walked steadily. Jesca got up from the soapy water and went to the kitchen corner, right by the baking coals she had set three plates aside to stay warm for them. Getting up she turned around to see them one by one each stepping up to slowly turn towards the water barrels to empty their heavy loads. The first girl stepped up with ease being full grown and well nourished, she smiled every time she saw that an American would work alongside the others. The second girl was struggling with her load but seeing Jesca she "manned up" and smiled trying her best to make it seem like she was just as strong as her big sister. Then last but certainly not least the third girl lagged behind a bit but she made it. Being a little gangly and less then 4 and 1/2 feet tall she wobbled one step at a time gripping the bucket balancing on her head. Her concern of spilling the water couldn't help but share her facial expression with her one second smile as she quickly refocused on getting to the water barrel. The bucket might as well have been as heavy as her but her little muscled arms lifted the buck up off her head without spilling and then all at once, SPLASH! into the barrel. She sighed with relief as the other girls quietly giggled. They all happily received their food and scarfed it down to get to study hall(the church) with the other kids. As they left Nobuhle collected their dishes but Jesca quickly took them from her for fear that she would try to do all the work! Jesca went back to washing dishes as the the other girls started pulling out the first half of bread loaves out from under the coals. Transferring the soapy water from one dish to the next she used the water sparingly and rinsed each dish in another bucket with only water. It was all still new to her but the ways of the people such as these were straight from necessity. Stacking up the clean dishes she could hear the hushed talking of one child to another, perhaps helping each other with different study problems. Once the dishes were all back in the kitchen she settled down onto a straw mat with Jakaza, a very elderly lady who came and ate with the cooks and helped sweep the orphanage grounds sometimes. She knew no English but her delight at the sight of an American living in her country with the people instead of over the people was written across her face. She took Jesca's hand into her own callused hands, full of history. She simply smiled with her sweet wrinkly face and stared into the fire and coals. Jesca wondered what she was thinking about. ~What has she seen in her lifetime? . . .~ The loaves were piled into a large bowl as they were cooked. They pulled the bowl over to the straw mat and began to break them up into biscuit portions for the kids to have one of with a watery cup of tea for breakfast on the walk to school. Soon the bread was finished and locked away because of thieves. They laughed and tried to speak each others languages talking about their families and asking Jesca questions about America. "Ugh, Jesca?, How much for a loaf of bread in America?" "About 4 dollars for a healthy one and even just 1 dollar for a unhealthy one" All the women then gasped. "Eish! 4 dollars?" "Ah Jesca that is very much! " "Jesca! Here, it can only be 1 dollar." Jesca quickly acted suprised. "Really?! Ay thats a good price!" They talked about differences, good and bad with their cultures. They laughed at some and became serious at others. Once every one had turned into rest Jesca brought her miniature guitar out coming back to savor the last light and warmth of the fire under such a full starred night. She played Shona hymns softly and sang a few prayers up quiet as the crackling coals. She took the kids up in prayer each by name or face. She talked to God about her lovely lady cooks. She thanked God for being able to enjoy their rich laughter and gain their kind of joy. The chattering in the dormitories died down fast as sleep overcame them for another 5am awakening. Jesca walked through the front curtain. She pulled a short candlestick from her pocket and lit it so she could get back to her room . Her clothes had everything from cornmeal powder to soapy water on them and even a little sand here and there! She put on an over sized shirt she had gotten from a trade with one of the kids and put an end to the night.
3 Comments
Jackie Juneman
4/19/2012 09:26:33 am
What a beautiful, heart-warming story, Jessica. May God richly bless you and your ministry!
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Jessica Hillman
4/19/2012 02:48:40 pm
Thank you Mrs. Juneman!
Reply
5/5/2013 04:02:52 pm
That clears up some questions I had! Powerful entry... can't believe it took me all these days to find it.
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